National City, Dec. 22, 7:30 PM
Ominous, ragged, smoky clouds drifted across the dark, evening sky. Dipping low onto the horizon, swallowing each piece of landscape as they walked across the earth. Slowly, small bits of cotton-like, white snow were coaxed out of the clouds, illuminating against the dark backdrop like fireflies on a summer evening. Kara watched as each piece struggled against the wind, desperate to stay afloat before finally relenting and landing among a graveyard full of steel beams that rose out of the ground, fragments of dilapidated wood planks that stretched across the columns and a sea of concrete, overgrown grass and vines tying it all together to form the skeleton of a dilapidated building on the outskirts of National City.
If she closed her eyes, Kara could recall a time that seemed like a lifetime ago. Not long after Jeremiah had been declared dead. Eliza had taken Kara and Alex to Colorado for a get-away in the mountains. It had been Kara's first time on the slopes and she was immediately enthralled by the enormous, white, powdery mounds of snow that carpeted the ground. She and Alex had spent hours going up and down the slopes. Well, Alex spent hours going up and down. Most of Kara's time consisted of being sprawled out on the ground. Apparently, body coordination in the sky meant nothing once two long, slender sticks were stuck to the bottom of her feet on the ground. But, Kara didn't mind. The crashes didn't hurt and the snow that slithered down her neck when she careened across the ground wasn't cold. And finally seeing Alex happy was worth the small amount of personal embarrassment that she felt each time she went down.
Since then, her life had been a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs, but becoming Supergirl and being able to make a difference - to help others - gave her existence on Earth meaning. Gave her hope.
But, her picturesque world had changed dramatically over the last year. The darkness that swept through the skies brought with it intense animosity and hatred to National City. Pitting human against alien and at times, human against human. No one escaped unmarred, even Kara. The world that she had come to call home, the city that she once defended without regard for her own safety had changed. She, or rather Supergirl, was now considered an enemy of the people.
And now, the chill that came with the snow nipped at her body.
She shivered and rolled down onto her side, pulling her legs up to her chest. The shackle that encased her ankles and was tethered to the ground rattled as it scraped across the concrete and she glanced over at Alex, lying curled in a restless sleep a couple feet from her.
Shadows hid most of Alex's features, but a tiny amount of moonlight from a small break in the clouds streamed down, exposing a badly battered profile. The black and purple streaks started at opposite ends of her jaw and temple, meeting in a raised hill of defiance at the corner of her eye. A dried trail of blood from a split bottom lip ran under her chin and the flaming imprint of fingers peppered the side of her neck.
Kara shuddered from the memory that those injuries brought.
When Kara had found the overgrown structure that was hidden in the trees on the outskirts of the city, she knew immediately that Alex was being held there. The heartbeat that had been etched into her mind for the last 15 years and that pierced her eardrums was like a beacon in an ocean storm.
And when she saw Alex along with the missing aliens, chained to a knee-wall that still existed within the structure, she initially had the upper hand. One by one she took on the Children of Liberty forces that surrounded the structure. But, as Kara got within reach of Alex, Lockwood became desperate. The first alien died when Lockwood plunged a knife into its back, sending it to the ground, gasping for air, sprawled out in a pool of its own blood. Enraged at the senseless death, Kara flew at Lockwood as he reached for another, smirking as he again drove in the knife just as Kara reached them.
She rammed into Lockwood, lifting him off the ground, plummeting both of them into a pile of nearby debris. Reaching for him again and again. Pulling him back up just to be able to drive her fist into his chin once more. He had become a catharsis for her pent-up anger and frustration.
"Supergirl!" A familiar voice shouted as she reached for Lockwood's battered body one more time.
Kara turned to find Lillian Luthor in her exosuit, standing behind Alex. Kryptonite sword poised, threatening to plunge it into Alex's side.
The tide had turned.
Don't do it!
Alex had later yelled to her, bravely gritting through each fist being slammed into her body. Emphatic in making sure Kara understood that in no way was she to give into their demands to blow out her powers.
And Kara complied. Like she had been taught to do when it came to matters of coercion and Alex.
So, silently she stood. Lips tightly pressed together to muffle her own cries. Helpless behind the kryptonite knife that pricked at own her neck. Fighting back tears and swallowing the bile that crept up the back of her throat with each punch thrown at Alex. Determined to follow Alex's wishes. At least, until Lillian upped the ante. The mechanical hand-like claw wrapped around Alex's throat, bulging her eyes, cutting off her oxygen as she frantically pulled at the restricting device. Slowly she began losing consciousness, her arms dropping limply next to her side in defeat.
It was more than Kara could bear.
So, she agreed. Put on the familiar helmet and fell into the same weakness that limited humans. She wasn't sure which was worse, the physical injuries that were plastered across Alex's face or the look of disappointment in her eyes when Kara submitted.
"Don't," Alex's raspy voice brought Kara back into the present. Her eyes refocused on Alex, forehead wrinkled in confusion.
"Don't feel guilty. This is not your fault."
"Alex," Kara breathed, thankful that Alex was lucid. "I couldn't let them continue." She bit at her lip. "Couldn't let them kill you. I'm sorry."
Alex gritted her teeth and pushed herself up, leaning into the wall for support, while grasping at her injured left side. Her own leg chains echoed across the open area as she pulled herself closer to the wall. She cleared her throat.
"You did what you thought you needed to do," she hoarsely whispered and gave a small, acknowledging laugh. "Hell, you know that I would have done the same."
She glanced over to where the remaining group of Children of Liberty huddled by a makeshift fire pit. "We need to figure out our next move before Lillian and Lockwood get back."
Kara sat up and slid as close to Alex as her restraints would allow.
"Without my powers, we're limited." Her eyes drifted to the remaining aliens bound to the wall further down. "But, we do still have them. If we can just figure out a way to get them loose."
Alex nodded. "Don't sell us short either," she added. She stretched her arm out toward Kara. "We're pretty formidable, with or without powers."
Kara smiled and grasped Alex's outreached hand. "The Danvers sisters. We should come with a warning."
"Well, isn't that sweet. The human traitor and her alien sister bonding."
The sisters turned to see a masked Ben Lockwood walking toward them.
Kara had a gut feeling that their time to figure out an escape had just run out. She glanced at Alex and dropped her hand.
"You know, when Lillian told me that Supergirl was Kara Danvers and that her sister was Alex Danvers, the DEO Director, I admit that I had a hard time determining who I was disgusted with more." Lockwood leaned over Kara. "The alien who poses as a savior to National City." He looked across to Alex. "Or, the traitor, tasked with protecting us from these roaches and who actually shared a bedroom with one for years."
"How about the one that stares back in the mirror each time you take off that coward's mask," Kara snapped.
Lockwood's attention shifted back to Kara, examining for a few seconds the defiant chin that was thrust up and the hardened eyes that glared back at him. He stood up, pulled off his mask and stared at it. The once gleaming, gold embellished covering had now become dull. Tarnished, with scratches and dents that permeated the lining. It was a reflection of his own life and he resented it. Fires of fury smoldered in his narrowed eyes and he quickly raised his boot, slamming it onto Kara's exposed hand.
The action startled Kara and in reflex, she cried out in pain, pulling the battered hand into her stomach.
"Don't!" Alex yelled, yanking at her chains in a futile attempt to reach Kara.
Lockwood smirked and motioned at his men. "While I would love to continue to see how far this display of spurious sisterhood would go, we have a trial to hold." He looked down at Kara. "Justice needs to be upheld."
"Trial?" Alex asked.
"Yes, a trial. Unlike the clandestine DEO who haphazardly identify threats and use unauthorized, excessive force that ends up terrorizing innocent humans, we believe that the evidence should be weighed out in the open, before the public. Then, the appropriate punishment can be imposed."
The men unlocked the leg cuffs on Alex, Kara and the other aliens, pulling them up off the floor. Lockwood turned and moved toward the center of the ruined structure where the remaining Children of Liberty were lining up chairs next to the fire pit. He tossed the mask into the fire and motioned for the prisoners to be dropped down into the chairs with Kara situated at the end, a few feet from the others.
Lockwood nodded to one of his men, who pulled out a cell phone to begin recording.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," Lockwood began. "We are here this evening to remind our citizens that the wheels of justice in this great country do still work. That the values established by our human predecessors, that provide the strength to our country and which are paramount to the continuation of human life on this Earth, do still exist."
He walked toward the lined up group. "Earlier today we, the Children of Liberty, defenders of the human race, accomplished something that the DEO has been unable to do." He stopped behind Alex's chair. "Something that they were unwilling to do because of a conspiracy of secrecy and treason deep within the ranks of the organization."
He glanced over at Kara. "Through diligence and great sacrifice, our forces have worked to keep this country safe. To defeat our enemies. And from those efforts, we were able to capture the greatest threat that the human population has ever faced. I give you this country's most wanted fugitive." He pointed down to Kara and the camera followed.
"Supergirl."
Kara raised her chin and met his gaze.
"And tonight," Lockwood continued, "we will provide you with a front row seat of that justice system in action." He began walking further down, towards Kara. "In a proceeding that is being recorded for all of National City to see, to bear witness to, we will present evidence of the People's case against Supergirl." He rounded the chair and squared up to her. "A case that is built on the charge of terrorism against this planet."
"Terrorism?" Kara asked incredulously. "That's rid-"
"Don't interrupt!" Lockwood boomed, taking a threatening step at Kara before quickly pulling back.
Kara flinched slightly but, otherwise displayed no fear. This time she was prepared for any possible repercussions to her defiance.
"The evidence-" A red-faced Lockwood sputtered, the tightness evident in his voice. He quickly turned away, taking a few more collective breaths to gather himself.
Kara glanced at Alex. Twice in the last few minutes, Lockwood had lost a bit of self-control. The last few months had been trying on everyone, Lockwood included. Was he becoming unhinged? Was his lack of control a possible opening?
"The evidence -" Lockwood finally turned back to the group and continued, "-will show a connection between Supergirl and incidents over the last few years that have brought death and destruction to the human population of this planet."
He began pacing in front of the lined up group. "Furthermore, it will link together this trail -" he gestured "-this trail of systematic devastation to an elaborate plot construed by the alien population on this planet -" his pacing intensified "-to overtake Earth. To take away jobs. Businesses. Political offices. Even schools!" He lamented, pounding his fist into his hand after each point.
"All made possible through an intention to enslave or exterminate the entire human population! And at the center of that plan," he abruptly stopped in front of Kara. "Is Supergirl. Their leader. Their Messiah, who promises to lead them into their Promised Land! Our land!"
"That's not true! I am not-"
Lockwood snapped. His rising emotions consuming him and he swung a backhand across Kara's cheek, knocking her askew, throwing both her and the chair onto the ground.
In an instant, Alex was on her feet tackling Lockwood to the ground. Kara quickly regrouped, ignoring the searing pain in her hand, grabbed at the metal chair and swung it at the rest of the group standing nearby.
The assault had little chance of succeeding. Both Kara and Alex knew this going in. But, it was their only chance and as in the past, neither thought twice about going forward.
Working together as a team, they moved quickly to try and gain the upper hand by taking out as many as they could in the process. While some of the aliens broke for the nearby rubble that littered the area, a few others stayed and joined the fight, determined to inflict their own revenge upon the group.
Alex finished pummeling Lockwood, effectively rendering him semi-unconscious. She made quick work of a couple of combatants while making her way to Kara who was cutting a path through a pile of attackers. As Kara's group wrestled for position, Alex dove into a couple of men on the fringes, sending them spinning across the ground like a bowling ball picking up a spare.
Now fragmented, the untrained adversaries were no match for Kara and Alex.
Kara finished clearing out the pile at the same time Alex rolled to her feet. She caught Kara's eye. Did they dare contemplate a possible victory? A sly smile slid across Alex's face as she walked toward Kara, reaching an arm out to help her sister up.
"The Danvers'-"
A muffled crack reverberated in the distance, halting Alex's words.
Kara's head tilted slightly, momentarily confused at how a lightning strike might occur in the middle of a snow storm. A slight groan released by Alex, brought her attention back and she watched as Alex grasped at her stomach. A red liquid oozed through Alex's fingers, running down the side of her hand.
Kara pushed herself forward onto her knee just as Alex's knees began to buckle, collapsing her body like a rag doll to the ground beside Kara.